Ilex plant named ‘Monnieves’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Ilex  plant named ‘Monnieves’, characterized by its compact, upright and open plant form; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit; dark burgundy-colored developing stems; dark green-colored leaves; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Ilex×meservae.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MONNIEVES’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct Ilex plant,botanically known as Ilex×meservae, and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Monnieves’.

The new Ilex plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofIlex×meservae ‘Mondo’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,999. The newIlex plant was discovered by the Inventor in 2002 from within apopulation of plants of ‘Mondo’ in a controlled outdoor nurseryenvironment in Dayton, Oreg.

Asexual reproduction of the Ilex plant by cuttings in Dayton, Oreg.since August, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Ilexplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generationsof asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Ilex have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and/or light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits havebeen repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘Monnieves’. These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘Monnieves’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Ilex:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and open plant form.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Dark burgundy-colored developing stems.    -   5. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Ilex can be compared to plants of the parent, ‘Mondo’.Plants of the new Ilex differ from plants of ‘Mondo’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ilex are taller and narrower than plants of        ‘Mondo’.    -   2. Plants of the new Ilex are more upright than and not as        rounded as plants of ‘Mondo’.    -   3. Plants of the new Ilex are more open than and not as dense as        plants of ‘Mondo’.    -   4. Plants of the new Ilex and ‘Mondo’ differ slightly in stem        and leaf color.    -   5. Plants of the new Ilex are not susceptible to Phytophthora        whereas plants of ‘Mondo’ are susceptible to Phytophthora.

Plants of the new Ilex can be compared to the plants of Ilex×meservae‘Blue Baron’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,151. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Dayton, Oreg., plants of the new Ilex differedfrom plants of ‘Blue Baron’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ilex are not as broad as plants of ‘Blue        Baron’.    -   2. Plants of the new Ilex have shorter and narrower leaves than        plants of ‘Blue Baron’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Ilex plant. These photographs show the colors as true as itis reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Ilex plant. The photograph at the bottom of thesheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of‘Monnieves’ grown in a container. The photograph at the top of the sheetis a close-up view of a typical plant of ‘Monnieves’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in three-gallon containers during thewinter in Dayton, Oreg. in an outdoor nursery and under commercialproduction conditions. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures averaged 4° C. and night temperatures averaged −5° C.Plants used for the photographs and description were 42 months old. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Ilex×meservae ‘Monnieves’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Ilex×meservae    ‘Mondo’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,999.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 21 to 30 days at temperatures            of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three months at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; off-white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; moderately            dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen shrub;            compact upright and open plant form; vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; bushy growth habit            with eight primary lateral branches each with multiple            secondary lateral branches developing per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 50 cm.        -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 41 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 39 cm. Diameter:            About 6 mm to 9 mm. Internode length: About 1.1 cm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, young            stems: Close to 187B to 187A. Color, mature stems: Close to            147A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 3.5 cm. Width: About 2.7 cm. Shape: Elliptic to            slightly rounded. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Broadly serrate. Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Developing leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker than            N137A; towards the apex and margins, close to 200B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N199A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker and brighter than            147A; venation, close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 146C; venation, close to 146B. Petiole:            Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:            Close to N199A. Color, lower surface: Close to N199B.-   Flower description: Flower initiation and development have not been    observed on plants of the new Ilex.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ilex have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about −10° C. to about 43° C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ilex are not susceptible    to Phytophthora. Plants of the new Ilex have not been observed to be    resistant to pests and other pathogens common to Ilex.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ilex plant named ‘Monnieves’ asillustrated and described.